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Catering Invoice Template (Free, Word + Google Docs)
A catering invoice template should list your business details, the client, the event date and venue, the guest count, each menu and service charge, deposits paid, the balance and the due date. Copy the free template below, or download the Word version, then add your own menus and terms.
A generic invoice has a line for "services" and not much else. Catering bills are built differently: a per-guest menu price, staff hours, rentals, a service charge, a final guest count that changes the week of the event and a deposit that came in months ago. This template has a line for each, so clients see what they're paying for and you get paid without a string of back-and-forth emails.
Key Takeaways
Bill food per guest, and update the count to the final guarantee before you send the balance invoice.
Keep staff, rentals, service charges and gratuities on separate lines. Clients ask fewer questions, and tax is easier to get right.
Don't call a mandatory charge a tip. The IRS treats automatic gratuities as service charges, and many states tax them.
Show every deposit as a credit with its date, so the balance due is never a guess.
Tie each invoice to a step in your booking process: deposit at signing, balance after the final count.
What should a catering invoice include?
Every catering invoice needs these 11 parts:
Your business details: business name, address, email, phone, website and any license or tax ID you list on invoices.
Client details: the name on the contract, billing email and phone, and the company name for corporate events.
Invoice number and date: one numbering system for every invoice, so you can find any of them quickly.
Event details: event type, date, venue, service times and service style (plated, buffet, family style, stations or drop-off).
Guest count: the final guaranteed count the menu price is based on.
Food and beverage lines: each menu or package with quantity, rate and amount.
Staff and service lines: servers, bartenders, chefs and event captains, with hours.
Rentals and fees: linens, china, glassware, delivery, setup and cleanup, cake cutting and similar charges.
Service charge, gratuity and sales tax: each on its own line, labeled clearly.
Payments received and balance due: every deposit with its date, then the balance and due date.
How to pay and terms: payment link or bank details, plus the due date and any late fee your contract allows.
Keep your invoices organized after they're paid, too. The IRS lists invoices, receipts and deposit information among the supporting documents a business should keep.
Free catering invoice template
Copy this into a document, or download the Word template. For Google Docs, open Google Drive, upload the Word file, then choose Open with and Google Docs.
[YOUR LOGO]
[YOUR BUSINESS NAME] [Address] · [Email] · [Phone] · [Website]
INVOICE
Invoice details | |
Invoice number | [0001] |
Invoice date | [Date] |
Due date | [Date] |
Bill to | [Client name, company, email, phone] |
Event | [Event type] |
Event date and venue | [Date, venue name and address] |
Service time | [Start time to end time] |
Service style | [Plated / buffet / stations / family style / drop-off] |
Final guest count | [Number] guests, confirmed on [date] |
Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
[Menu or package name], per guest | [guests] | [rate] | [amount] |
Appetizers or passed hors d'oeuvres | [guests or pieces] | [rate] | [amount] |
Beverage or bar package | [guests or hours] | [rate] | [amount] |
Desserts or cake cutting | [guests] | [rate] | [amount] |
Servers | [staff x hours] | [rate] | [amount] |
Bartenders | [staff x hours] | [rate] | [amount] |
Chef or event captain | [hours] | [rate] | [amount] |
Rentals: linens, china, glassware | [qty] | [rate] | [amount] |
Delivery, setup and cleanup | [1] | [rate] | [amount] |
Subtotal | [amount] | ||
Service charge ([rate]) | [amount] | ||
Sales tax, if it applies | [amount] | ||
Gratuity, if agreed in writing | [amount] | ||
Total | [amount] | ||
Deposit received on [date] | -[amount] | ||
Second payment received on [date] | -[amount] | ||
Balance due by [date] | [amount] |
How to pay: [Payment link, bank details or check instructions].
Terms: Balance due by [date]. Late payments: [your contract's late fee, if any]. The guest count above is the final guarantee. Deposit and cancellation terms are set out in our agreement dated [date].
Service charge: The service charge covers [what it covers, such as event staffing and administration] and is not a gratuity for staff. [Delete this line if you don't charge one.]
Thank you for choosing [business name]. We loved being part of your event.
Delete any line you don't use. A drop-off lunch doesn't need servers or rentals, and a corporate client may need a purchase order number.
How do you save this template for every event?
Set it up once as a master file, then copy it for each client. That way, no client ever gets an invoice with someone else's menu on it.
In Word:
Open the template and add your logo, business details, usual packages and terms.
Go to File, then Save As, and choose Word Template in the file type list.
For each event, open a new document from that template and save it under the invoice number.
In Google Docs:
In Google Drive, double-click the Word file to open it in Google Docs, then add your logo and details.
For each event, open your master file and choose File, then Make a copy.
Name every file the same way, such as "2027-031 Chen Corporate Lunch Invoice," so you can find any invoice by number or client.
How do you write line items for weddings, corporate events and drop-off orders?
"Catering services" on one line invites questions. Specific lines answer them before the client asks. Use wording like this:
Event type | Example line items |
Wedding | Plated dinner, choice of two entrées, per guest · Passed hors d'oeuvres, 1 hour, per guest · Late-night snack station, per guest · Servers, [number] for 6 hours · Cake cutting, per guest |
Corporate event | Buffet lunch, [menu name], per guest · Coffee and tea service, all day · Event captain, 8 hours · Setup and cleanup · Vegetarian and gluten-free meals, [number] |
Drop-off order | Boxed lunches, [menu name] · Disposable plates and utensils · Delivery to [address], [time] window |
Private party | Grazing table for [number] guests · Bartender, 4 hours · Glassware rental · Delivery, setup and cleanup |
Use the same package names on your menu, catering proposal and invoice, so all three match when a client compares them.
What's the difference between a service charge and a gratuity?
A gratuity is a tip the client chooses to give. A service charge is a fee you add. The difference matters for taxes and for what you tell clients.
The IRS says a payment is normally a tip only when the customer pays it freely, decides the amount, isn't held to an amount set by policy and generally chooses who gets it. Its guidance on tips versus service charges lists a large party's automatic gratuity as a service charge. Service charges paid out to employees are treated as wages, not tips, so talk to your payroll provider about how you handle them.
On the invoice, keep it simple:
Label it honestly. If the charge is required, call it a service charge, and say in one line what it covers.
Don't imply it goes to staff unless it does. Clients often assume a service charge is the tip.
Leave optional tips separate. If you accept tips, add a blank gratuity line or a note, and don't fill in an amount.
Do caterers charge sales tax on the whole invoice?
Often, yes, but it depends on your state. Check with your state tax agency or your accountant. Two examples show how broad catering tax can be:
New York: the Tax Department's bulletin for caterers and catering services says all charges by caterers related to a customer's event are taxable. A mandatory gratuity is exempt only when it's separately stated, labeled as a gratuity and paid in full to employees. A charge called a service charge stays taxable.
California: the CDTFA's tax guide for caterers says charges for preparing and serving food and beverages are taxable, and caterers may need to collect tax on mandatory tips and corkage fees. Tables, linens and tableware used to serve the meal are taxable whether or not they're listed separately.
Listing a charge on its own line doesn't make it tax-free in either state. Separate lines still help, because you and your accountant can see each charge when the rules differ.
When should a caterer send each invoice?
Tie each invoice to a step in your booking process. Use these suggested targets to measure your own routine:
Step | Suggested target |
Deposit invoice sent | Same day the contract is signed |
Deposit received | Before the date is marked as booked |
Final guest count requested | 14 days before the event, or the date in your contract |
Balance invoice sent | Within 1 business day of receiving the final count |
First reminder | 3 days before the due date |
Add-on invoice sent | Within 2 business days after the event (extra guests, bar overages) |
Here's a short email to send with the balance invoice:
Hi [First name], thank you for confirming your final count of [number] guests for [event] on [date]. Your balance invoice is attached, with [amount] due by [date]. You can pay here: [link]. Let me know if anything looks off. We can't wait to feed your guests! [Your name]
For more on timing and follow-up, read our guide on how to send an invoice.
Who should handle your catering invoices?
Invoices shouldn't wait until after a 14-hour event day. Once your template and rules are set, this is steady work someone else can run. At YSO, we place full-time virtual assistants for caterers (we call them ops assistants) who know what a BEO is and work inside the tools you already use, like HoneyBook, Dubsado, Tripleseat, Caterease or QuickBooks. Your assistant can:
Send deposit invoices the day contracts are signed
Request final guest counts on schedule and update the invoice
Send balance invoices and reminders on time
Match payments to events and flag anything overdue
Invoice add-ons after the event
You keep your menu prices, discounts and any call on refunds. For the rest of the office work, see our catering business back-office checklist. Before your assistant starts, we map how you work and turn it into SOPs you own, because you cannot hand off what's never been written down.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I write a catering invoice?
Start with your business and client details, add an invoice number and date, then list the event details and final guest count. Add each menu, staff, rental and fee charge on its own line, subtract deposits, and show the balance, due date and how to pay.
Should I send a catering invoice before or after the event?
Both, in most cases. Send a deposit invoice when the contract is signed and the balance invoice once the final count is in, so it's paid before the event. Send a short add-on invoice after the event only if something changed.
Is a catering service charge the same as a tip?
No. A service charge is a fee you require. A tip is optional and the client decides the amount. The IRS treats automatic gratuities as service charges, and many states tax them, so label each one clearly.
Can I use this template in Google Docs?
Yes. Upload the Word file to Google Drive, open it with Google Docs and save your own copy. The tables stay editable.
What if the guest count changes after I send the invoice?
Send a revised invoice with a new invoice date and the updated count, and note what changed. Follow your contract for whether the count can go below the guarantee.
Is a template enough, or should I use catering software?
A template works well while you're booking a handful of events a month. As volume grows, software can send payment reminders, take payments and track balances for you. The template still helps, because it shows what your software setup should include.
Spend event week cooking, not chasing balances
A clean invoice gets you paid. A system gets every invoice out on time. YSO runs a time audit, documents your processes and places a trained ops assistant who knows event work, with 90 days of support. See how we support caterers.
About Your Startup Operations
Your Startup Operations (YSO) is a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certified, white-glove operations agency co-founded by Jenna Henao and Alexis Schomer. YSO helps event business owners and other service-based companies step out of daily operations by installing a dedicated Ops Assistant trained specifically for their business, typically helping owners reclaim 30–40 hours per week.
YSO has been featured in Forbes, Voyage LA, Authority Maximizer, EIN Presswire, and AP News.
Explore our event vendor ops services, see client outcomes on our case studies page, or get in touch to talk through what your business needs.
About the Author
Alexis Schomer is the Co-Founder and Marketing & Operations Expert at Your Startup Operations. She works with business owners to optimize operations, improve delegation, and build scalable systems that support sustainable business growth. Drawing on her experience in marketing, entrepreneurship, and business operations, Alexis believes effective delegation is about more than hiring a virtual assistant. It starts with selecting the right person, creating efficient workflows, establishing clear expectations, and providing the training and support needed for teams to succeed. This practical, systems-first philosophy guides every client partnership at YSO. Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn.
Reviewed by
Jenna Henao is the Co-Founder and Operations Expert at Your Startup Operations. She partners with business owners to streamline operations, strengthen workflows, and build reliable teams that drive long-term growth. With a background in entrepreneurship and business operations, Jenna has led initiatives across HR, finance, recruitment, operations, sales, marketing, and team leadership. She has helped businesses grow from six to seven figures by developing scalable systems, recruiting outstanding talent, and implementing processes that support lasting success. Connect with Jenna on LinkedIn.
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